Clinician's Guide to Lab Medicine

From The Critics

Reviewer: Valerie L. Ng, PhD MD(Alameda County Medical Center/Highland Hospital)
Description: This is the third edition of this wide-ranging guide to laboratory medicine. At approximately 900 pages, the book is the same size as the previous editions - a little too large to cram into one's pocket. However, a new feature is a companion paperback pocket guide that readily fits into pockets.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide a readily accessible guide to laboratory testing for clinicians. The author has succeeded admirably in his goal.
Audience: This book would appeal to virtually anyone in the healthcare profession who orders laboratory tests - ranging from students in any discipline involved in direct patient care (medicine, nursing, clinical laboratory science, etc.) to active experienced practitioners in any field of healthcare.
Features: This edition is very similar to previous editions. It uses an organ system approach, and provides easily understandable algorithms for diagnosing diseases based on clinical symptoms and commonly ordered laboratory tests. It does a very nice job of not only explaining how certain laboratory results can support a working diagnosis (clinical sensitivity), but also includes information on what other disorders can manifest the same laboratory abnormalities (clinical specificity) to assist the user in working through the differential diagnosis. A strong feature of this book is the inclusion of many algorithms to help the user work through a diagnostic scheme in a stepwise and streamlined fashion. New additions to this edition include information on obstetrical conditions as well as expanded sections on infectious diseases, neurology and nephrology. A personal anecdote: As a practicing clinical pathologist for 20 years, I was recently confronted on rounds with a clinical question in an area with which I was not familiar. I quickly pulled the pocket companion out and was able to inform the primary team of the best tests to order to help narrow their differential diagnoses. Needless to say, I was very pleased with the ready availability and accessibility of the information in this book; I may have also unknowingly increased the market for this book as the residents closely observed my choice of quick reference material.
Assessment: I think this is an incredibly useful book for anyone in healthcare. Its material is easily accessible and understandable and the book is useful as quick reference for areas of medicine in which the user needs to quickly get up to speed. I'm keeping my companion pocket guide in my lab coat for daily use.

4 Stars! from Doody